Language/Malayalam/Grammar/Basic-Letters
As a Malayalam language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the Malayalam script, one of the most unique and beautiful scripts in the world. In this lesson, we will cover the basics of the Malayalam alphabet, including the 14 basic letters that form the foundation of the script.
Malayalam Alphabet
The Malayalam script is an abugida, which means that each letter represents both a consonant sound and a vowel sound. The Malayalam alphabet consists of 54 letters, including 14 basic letters, 41 consonant conjuncts, and several vowel markers.
In this lesson, we will focus on the 14 basic letters that are used to form words in Malayalam. These letters are called സ്വരങ്ങൾ (svaraṅṅaḷ) in Malayalam.
Basic Letters
The 14 basic letters of the Malayalam alphabet are as follows:
| Malayalam | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| അ | a | a |
| ആ | ā | aa |
| ഇ | i | i |
| ഈ | ī | ee |
| ഉ | u | u |
| ഊ | ū | oo |
| ഋ | ṛ | ri |
| എ | e | e |
| ഏ | ē | ee |
| ഐ | ai | ai |
| ഒ | o | o |
| ഓ | ō | oo |
| ഔ | au | au |
| അം | aṁ | um (nasal sound) |
As you can see, the basic letters of the Malayalam alphabet are a combination of vowels and consonants. Some of the letters have unique sounds, such as ഋ (ṛi), which is a retroflex vowel, and അം (aṁ), which is a nasal sound that is pronounced with an "m" sound.
It is important to note that each letter can be written in different ways depending on its position in the word. This is an essential aspect of the Malayalam script and we will cover it in more detail in later lessons.
Writing the Letters
Practice writing the Malayalam letters by downloading a Malayalam font or by using an online Malayalam keyboard. You can also use a pen and paper to physically write the letters.
Remember to practice both the printed and cursive forms of the letters. This will help you recognize the letters when you see them in different fonts and handwriting styles.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have learned the basics of the Malayalam script and are one step closer to achieving proficiency in the language. In the next lesson, we will cover the conjunct consonants that are used to form more complex words in Malayalam. Keep practicing and see you in the next lesson!